The $10.5 million Daniels Street extension project is officially completed.

It is arguably the most consequential street extension in Manteca since 2001 when Spreckels Avenue was extended to Moffat Boulevard. That project set the stage for full development of the 362-acre Spreckels Park multi-use project that transformed a shuttered sugar beet refinery into an economic juggernaut that created 2,300 plus jobs and a tax base that leveraged infrastructure to secure the Stadium Retail Center and paid to build the Big League Dreams sports complex.

The Daniels Street extension from where the road dead-ended at Costco to McKinley Avenue will arguably create as many jobs and strengthen the tax base as well.

And just like when Industrial Park Drive was extended to connect with Spreckels Avenue, the Daniels Street extension will complete a major corridor to improve traffic flow. In the case of McKinley Avenue it will connect with the McKinley Avenue interchange expected to break ground in the next year or so on the 120 Bypass to open up southwest Manteca to development and spurt business park growth in the western part of Manteca.

The City Council on Tuesday accepted the completion of the work that included water, sewer and storm lines as well as underground utilities such as electric service, natural gas lines, and communication infrastructure critical to developing over 100 acres of former wastewater treatment plant land into a family entertainment zone bookended by the 500-room Great Wolf Lodge indoor waterpark resort and the BLD sports complex.

The roadway was a requirement for Great Wolf to purchase 30 acres from the city and invest $180 million in building a resort in Manteca that will provide almost 550 jobs when it finally opens. It is scheduled to do so Dec. 17 unless pandemic concerns force a fourth postponement.

The family entertainment zone is envisioned as a collection of entertainment venues aimed at families, restaurants, and sports facilities. While such concerns are vulnerable to pandemic closures that are roughly a once an every 100-year occurrence, the concept is aimed at securing Manteca jobs and tax revenue that can’t be co-opted by online concerns. The businesses the city is working to attract with Manteca Development Group benefit from a shift in travel dollars when staycations replace longer trips during economic downturns.

The street extension will not open to traffic until Great Wolf opens.

The extension as currently configured with two through travel lanes and a dedicated bike lane in both directions with curb lanes that serves as a right turn lane but could ultimately become a third travel lane each way in the future. There are also dedicated left turn lanes.

 The city employed the late 19th century light poles that you see downtown, at the Lathrop Road overcrossing on Highway 99, on the new Union Road diverging diamond interchange on the 120 Bypass, in and around Del Webb at Woodbridge, and on the existing stretch of Daniels Street west of Airport Way.

There are three intersections with traffic signals. Great Wolf Way will serve as the main entrance to both the resort and the family entertainment zone. Entertainment Way is just past Costco and runs behind the BLD complex. A third yet-to-be-named intersection is just east of the T-intersection with McKinley Avenue.

Bus turnouts are in place near Entertainment Way that accesses the employee entrance to Great Wolf.

The entire stretch is landscaped.

The center median is the widest in Manteca and arguably the snappiest in the city as it is bordered by a strip of wider than normal pavers.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com